About Me

I am an artist living and working in Nashville, Tennessee. I have been painting professionally since 1990 and have completed over 400 commissioned portraits and numerous landscape, figurative, and still life paintings. Some of my current portrait commissions include: Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, Senator and Mrs. Bill Frist, Senator Arlen Specter, Chief Judge Anthony Scirica, Chancellor Gordon Gee for Vanderbilt University, and President Theodore Roosevelt for the Ben Barnes Group Roosevelt House. A protegee of Everett Raymond Kinstler, I am also passionate about the work of John Singer Sargent, Sorolla, Zorn, Johansen, Flagg, Leyndecker, Serov, Repin, Beaux, and Cornwell, just to name a few. An active member of the National Arts Club, the Players Club, the Allied Artists of America, Portrait Society of America, the Audubon Artists, the Cumberland Society of Painters, the Artists Fellowship of New York, and the Exchange Club of Nashville.

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog! I hope you enjoy visiting from time to time. I will have fun posting information related to current projects, my travels, or just random thoughts! Feel free to post your comments anytime.

Thursday, May 29, 2008

I spoke with my friend and mentor Ray Kinstler after he returned from teaching a week long workshop at the Richeson School last year. He was excited about his experience and praised both the quality of the school and the directors.

When they phoned to ask if I would teach a class there this summer, I could not say no! Although I travel the country for portrait commissions, I rarely travel to teach. I am excited about the class and so looking forward to my week in Wisconsin.

During the workshop, we will be painting from live models in a spacious studio. I will be giving one-on-one instruction, demonstrations, and lectures throughout the week. Everyone will receive a nearly 200 page workbook I have written to compliment the week's studies. The class will kick off on Sunday night with a reception honoring the 2008 Figure Portrait Competition. The competition winners will be announced that evening.

I have been working on a fun portrait of a man from California for some time now. It has taken up my entire studio at 96" tall and I have to paint much of it from a step stool! He stands 6' 4" tall and wanted a life size painting for his home... makes for a BIG canvas!

I have tried to photograph it as I have worked. I will attach them in several posts due to the number of photos. I hope to have new photos taken this week to show my latest progress.

The are obviously many challenges on a portrait this size, but the sheer scale makes covering the canvas a real workout. I have even greater respect for Sorolla! I am concentrating on the effect of the light, the overall high key of the portrait and the amazing reflective color. FUN!

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

I am just returning from a wonderful adventure to New York where 18 of my friends from around the country unveiled a series of Portraits for the Players Club Hall of Fame. It was a great event and a full house! During the evening I had a chance to visit with artist Linda Smith from New Mexico. Linda always has so many great ideas for painters including the tip on using a freezer zip lock bag for your brush washer! I am so glad to know who passed that one along to me so long ago!